Frame for hens&#39; nests.



PATENTED'" APR. 14, 1908. c. F. LUCAS. FRAME FOR HENS NESTS.

APPLICATION FILED OUT. 3, 1907.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRAME FOR HENS NESTS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 14, 1908.

Application filed October 3, 1907. Serial No. 395,739.

, constructed at a factory and shipped in compact form and which may be set up with ease and in which the severalmembers are held together by interlocking joints, thereby overcoming the necessityfor employing nails,

screws or like fastenings to hold the parts.

For a full understanding of the invention and the merits thereof and also to acquire a knowledge of the details of construction and the means for effecting the result, reference is to be had to the following description and ac com anying drawings.

W hile the invention may be adapted to different forms and conditions by changes in the structure and minor details without departin from the spirit or essential features thereof, still the preferred embodiment is shown the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a framework embodying the invention. Fig. 2 is a detail perspective view of a corner portion of the framework, the parts being separated and relatively arranged in the position in which they will appear in the completed structure. Fig. 3 is a detail view of the members forming a corner of the frame, the same being separated and arranged in the relative position which they occupy when assembled. Fig. 4 is a detail view showing more clearly the joint formed between an end bar and an intermediate longitudinal bar, the parts being separated.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the followin description and indicated in all the viewsof the drawings'by the same reference characters.

The framework embodies corner posts 1, upper longitudinal bars 2, lower longitudinal bars 3, upper end bars 4, lower end bars 5 and u per intermediate longitudinal bars 6 and a ower intermediate longitudinal bar 7, the several parts being jointed at their intersecting or meeting portions to form substantial jolnts without requiring the employment of fastenings or keys of any kind. Each post is provided in its upper end with an open mortise 8 and intermediate of its ends with a closed mortise 9. The upper longitudinal bars 1 are provided near opposite ends with reduced portions 10 to fit within the open mortises 8, the reduced parts 10 being formed by notches in opposite sides of the bars. Other notches 11 are formed in the upper edges of the bars 2 exterior to the reduced parts 10 to receive terminal portions of the end bars 4. Notches 12 formed in the lower edges of the bars 4 near their extremities, receive end portions of the bars 2, thereby admitting of the upper and lower edges of the bars 2 and 4 coming about flush. Notches 13 formed in the upper sides of the bars 4, receive end portions of the intermediate longitudinal bar 6, the latter having notches 14 in its lower side to receive said end bar 4, whereby the bars 4 and 6, have their upper and lower sides about flush.

The lower longitudinal bars 3 have their end portions 15 reduced to pass through the slots 9 of the posts 1. The projecting portions of the reduced ends 15' have notches 16 in their upper edges to receive end portions of the bars 5, the latter in turn having notches 17 near their extremities and upon their lower sides to receive the projecting portions of the reduced ends 15, whereby the upper and lower sides of the bars 3 and 5 may come about flush. The bars 5 have notches 18 in their upper sides to receive end portions of the bar 7, which is provided with notches 19 to receive the lower end bars 5 so that the upper and lower sides of the bars 5 and 7 may be about flush.

It will be readily understood from the foregoing, in connection with the drawings, that the framework may be readily set up or taken apart, the operation being facilitated by numbering or otherwise applying indicia to the matching parts to admit of the assembling beinglmore quickly effected. When set up the several frame bars mutually tie one another and prevent the separation of the bars except by design, it being understood that the matching joints are of such relative size to cause the parts to bind frictionally. The nest, not shown, may be of any construction and are supported between the longitudinal bars and may be arranged in tiers. It is further understood that the framework may be of any size according to the dimensions of the nest and the number of said nests for which the framework is intended.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. In a framework of the character speci fied, the combination of corner posts having open mortises, bars having reduced portions near their ends to snugly fit within said open mortises and having notches in their projecting ends, and other bars having notches near their extremities to receive the projecting ends of the first mentioned bars and in turn fitting in the notched portions of the projecting ends thereof.

2. In a framework of the character specified, the combination of corner posts provided with mortises, bars having their ends reduced and fitted in the said mortises and having notches in their projecting ends and other bars having notches near their extremities to receive the projecting ends of the reduced portions of the first mentioned bars and in turn fitted in the notches of said projecting portions.

3. The herein described framework comprising corner posts having upper and lower mortises, upper longitudinal bars having reduced portlons near their ends to fit in the said'upper mortises of the corner posts and having notches in their projecting ends, upper end bars having notches near their extremities fitted in the notched ends of the said upper longitudinal bars, an intermediate upper longitudinal bar having notches in its end portions fitted into notches of the said upper end bars, lower longitudinal bars having reduced end portions fitted into the lower mortises of the corner posts and having the projecting ends notched, lower end bars notched near their extremities to fit the notched ends of the reduced portions of the said lower longitudinal bars and a lower intermediate longitudinal bar having its end CAROLINE F. LUCAS Witnesses:

O. M. POWELL, J. D. OATHEY. 

